Published 9:51 am, Thursday, August 21, 2014

A 45-year-old Midland man allegedly shot at two Midland County sheriff’s deputies and barricaded himself in his home for four hours before a SWAT team came in to arrest him Tuesday evening.

Robert Delmon Gray was being held Thursday on a $250,000 bond for a second-degree felony charge of unlicensed possession of a firearm by a felon.

Deputies were dispatched to the 6400 block of South County Road 1285 at about 10 p.m. Tuesday in regard to a disturbance with weapons. A complainant told deputies her neighbor two houses south of her home was shooting guns outdoors, according to the arrest affidavit.

The deputies then drove by Gray’s home and noticed through a window that he was sitting at a kitchen table. The deputies parked, walked up to the front door and heard Gray shout, “If I’m going to be taken out, it better be by one shot by a sniper,” according to the affidavit.

Gray sat up and walked toward the front door. Deputies took cover behind a tree in the front yard as Gray opened the front door and used explicit language. He then shot one round at the deputies, according to the affidavit.

Gray closed the door and remained inside for four hours until a SWAT team breached the home. A hostage negotiator unsuccessfully attempted to lead Gray outside his home before the breach.

Deputies took two 22-caliber firearms and a single 38-caliber firearm from Gray’s residence, according to the affidavit.

Gray told deputies he drank liquor and beer that night.

Gray was previously convicted of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony on Nov. 11, 2009, and domestic violence on Dec. 26, 2008.